Debi Evans Galler has an extensive background in bankruptcy, real estate, transactional and corporate matters. She focuses her practice not only in bankruptcy, receiverships, insolvency, and assignments for the benefit of creditors which are state court liquidation proceedings pursuant to Florida Statutes, but also in business transactions including commercial real estate projects, acquisition and disposition of businesses, asset based lending and leasing and financing arrangements.
Debi has represented receivers, trustees, creditors and debtors in Chapter 7 and 11 cases, federal receiverships, as well as financial institutions, developers, and buyers and sellers of commercial and residential property both in distressed and conventional transactions.
Representative Experience
· Represents publicly traded national distributor of hearing products in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding in the proposed sale of all of its assets. As a result of the sale, all unsecured creditors will be paid in full with a significant distribution to equity.
· Represents a series of orange groves in the reorganization of its $53 million in secured debt through a chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. Upon confirmation of the Debtors' plan of reorganization, unsecured creditors are expected to be paid in full, plus interest, with a significant payment on the effective date of the plan and the balance within seven months.
· Represented numerous unsecured creditors committees in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, including committees for two separate planned residential communities with thousands of homeowners and golf club members.
· Represented a manufacturer of ballistic protection for vehicles and personnel in chapter 11 proceeding and successfully concluded the sale of all of the assets in less than 60 days resulting in $10.7 million in cash to the estate plus the assumption of certain liabilities as well as a share of pending income tax refunds.
· Represented owner of numerous apartment complexes in Florida and Texas in work outs with multiple lending institutions.
· Represented note holders holding in excess of $20 million in unsecured notes against obligor and successfully placed obligors in bankruptcy and had a trustee appointed.
· Represented condominium developer and 13 of its subsidiaries in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and 14 related entities in out-of-court liquidations.
· Represented not for profit entities in obtaining secondary financing on HUD projects.
· Represented lender in numerous single asset based loans throughout Florida.
· Represented fragrance manufacturer and distributor and its subsidiaries in connection with loan forbearance and modification of both it senior and junior debt with a combined total in excess of $38 million.
· Represented hotel/condominium developer in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding, including the sale of the property for $57 million.
· Represented chapter 7 trustees in connection with the administration of failed radiology imagining centers.
· Represented entity and its three subsidiaries that were the largest independent, minority-owned, full-line distributor of medical, surgical and rehabilitative supplies in the United States in connection with the sale of its business and real estate assets.
Awards & Recognition
· Finalist for Most Effective Lawyer Award in Bankruptcy, Daily Business Review, 2011
Professional & Community Involvement
· Member, Bankruptcy Bar Association
· Member, Business Law Section of the American Bar Association
Articles & Presentations
· "Introduction to Bankruptcy," Real Estate Restructuring: Loan Defaults, Workouts, Bankruptcy and Distressed Property Acquisitions Seminar (December 2009)
Prior Affiliations
· McDermott, Will & Emery
In the News
In the News Report, 1.02.11, , Karen Abraham, Mitchell Berger, David Black, Frank Caplan, Liz Conover, Jennifer Escobar, Dawn Kampersal, Michael Greene, Jordi Guso, Deborah Talenfeld, Paul Steven Singerman, January 03, 2011
In the News Report, 1.16.11, , Brian Gart, Paul Avron, Debi Evans Galler, Jeffrey Wertman, Mitchell Berger, January 18, 2011
In the News Report, 1.31.11, , Debi Galler, Ilyse Homer, Stefanie Moon, Dan Thompson, Lori Rabinowitz, , January 31, 2011
In the News Report, 2.06.11, , Robert Barron, Ilyse Homer, Paul Avron, Debi Galler, Jeff Wertman, February 06, 2011